Letting go of what we carry

September 15, 2025

Welcome to another beautiful week. When an idea sparks that I think is worth sharing, it becomes this weekly newsletter. If something hits home, write back. I love conversations. This is Weekly Spark #18.

Hey friend,

There’s an old Zen story that’s been echoing in my mind since I shared it with a coachee on Friday.

Two monks were walking along a muddy path when they came across a woman struggling to cross. The older monk lifted her up, carried her across, and set her down gently.

The younger monk said nothing but hours later, as they approached their monastery, he finally spoke:

“We’re not supposed to touch women. Why did you do that?”

The senior monk replied,

“I put her down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?” 

The Weight of the Past

That story isn’t about monks. It’s about us.

We carry things long after they’re gone.

Past failures that still sting. Past successes we keep replaying.

Regrets. Resentments. Labels.

And here’s the irony: The weight isn’t in the event. The weight is in our unwillingness to let it go.

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As Individuals

We often cling to who we were, which stops us from becoming who we are meant to be.

The promotion you didn’t get. The opportunity you lost.

Or even the success you once had that you now chase like a shadow.

The invitation is this: Learn from the past. Prepare for the future. But live fully in the present.

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As Teams

Teams also carry their past.

A failed launch that still creates hesitation. A mistake that became a stigma.

Or a past success that makes them resist doing things differently.

When teams carry too much history, they lose agility. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting.

It means not letting the past dictate the present.

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As Organisations

Businesses are no different.

Some cling to “the way we’ve always done it.”

Others rest too long on past victories while the world moves forward.

Extraordinary organisations hold memory lightly, learning from it without being chained to it.

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💬 Final Spark

The past is a teacher, not a prison.

The future is a possibility, not a guarantee.

The present is the only place where life is lived.

One idea that has helped me live in the present is asking myself, if I could, would I change my past or the future? Yes, is the answer.

But can I? No, is the answer.

This brings me back to the present moment every single time!

So here’s the question I leave you with:

👉🏽 What are you still carrying that you could put down today?

With presence,

Utkarsh

(Coach | Seeker | Believer in Now)

And since we are speaking of monks, you will love this episode of the IgnitedNeurons podcast with Arjuna Das from ISKCON Melbourne. :)

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